A Love Like This
by fallingforfiction
Summary: She never intended to trip and fall into love with him. It was completely an accident, especially considering that he was very clearly already in love with somebody else...but then again, when did that ever stop a ludicrous heart from beating for someone else?
1. Chapter 1

**D** ull sunlight trying its damnedest to shine through the cloud littered Chicago sky flooded into Cassie's eyesight while she idly stared out of the window of the bus, idolizing the resilience of the light fighting to be seen in the frigid weather of January; something she always looked forward to. Quick flashes of buildings and leafless trees captured her attention, the music flowing from her earbuds drowning out any other sounds of the people around her. She tried focusing on anything but the unusual self-deprecating thoughts currently plaguing her mind, her internal battle being cut short as she took a deep breath once she'd noticed that it had approached her stop. She shook the thoughts from her mind, knowing in her bones that she was as ready as she could possibly get; she had to be.

Her older sister, Meghan, had moved out there a couple of years before her and chose to become a detective. She loved her job; adored the city and every time they talked on the phone, she would go on and on about how much she'd love it too. Meghan was not only her sister, but also her best friend. She knew her better than she knew herself, quite frankly, and if she claimed she'd love the city, she knew what she was talking about.

So, after finishing her schooling in their hometown in North Carolina, she took the leap. Moving to Chicago was a change to say the least, but a much needed one. She didn't regret her decision in the slightest.

The obvious wintry chill crept up her spine the instant she stepped from the city bus, the scrubs she was clad in not exactly aiding in wind breaking as the chilly breeze whipped her blonde strands haphazardly about. Shoving her hands into the pockets of her jacket as the cold had already began working to numb her thin digits, her heart thumped with every step she took. The closer that her feet took her to her destination, the harder her erratic heart slammed inside of her chest; Gaffney Medical Center.

Advancing toward the building, glossy letters spelling out EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT on the glass doors, she watched as they slid open with ease while she walked through. Taking a final shallow breath, she removed her earbuds as her nervousness began to fade some, most of her apprehension being replaced with excitement with the first look around she allowed herself to take.

"How may I help you, hun?"

Her head turned toward the voice quickly, making eye contact with the woman at the main desk who had previously spoken. She was an African American woman, curly hair pulled into a low bun. Her eyes were kind, but she could tell that she took her job seriously and wouldn't think twice of putting someone in their place.

"Oh, I'm the new nurse, Cassie Hartman. I'm supposed to start working today?" She informed lightly.

"Ah!" She began, "First and foremost, I'm Maggie. You'll probably pick up how we operate around here fairly quickly, but just to be on the safer side, April already told me that she'd have no problem helping you out."

She nodded, smiling gratefully. "I appreciate it, thank you."

"Now, there's a locker in the break room for you, so you can drop anything off in there. Here's your pager and I.D. badge," Opening a drawer, she handed the small electronic her way, followed by the laminated badge.

"That pager is your lifeblood, so make absolutely positive that you never let the battery die. Meet us back out here after you get settled and we'll go from there." She smiled, pointing her in the proper direction of the break room.

Turning on her heels and eagerly heading to where she was directed toward, her grip tightened on the strap of the bag on her shoulder, anticipation filling her up until she could hardly breathe properly.

"And Cassie?" She turned back around to face her once more, confusion evident as her brows drew together. "Welcome."

With a smile tugging at her lips, she picked up her pace, throwing everything into her locker with breakneck speed before she clipped her pager and badge onto their rightful spots, making her way back to the main desk. She didn't want to miss a thing. Walking back out, she found another woman waiting for her, who she soon found out was April.

As her green eyes glanced around the room, they unexpectedly were met with chocolate ones. They were warm, belonging to a man with gingery hair who gave her a small smile. A doctor. Offering a smile back, her cheeks quickly became ablaze when she noted that he kept stealing side glances her way. Head immediately looking down and embarrassed eyes darting to the floor, she bit her bottom lip as to suppress a smile. He was cute; very cute. She was never usually one to succumb to nervousness so freely, but lately, that was all she seemed to catch herself doing.

"Seven car pile up, everyone! Semi cut off the intersection; two casualties and we've got multiple trauma patients on the way!"

Head jolting upward in response to what Maggie had just advised everyone of, she whipped back around to see April already looking at her with surprised eyes.

"Looks like you've chosen one hell of a day to start." She roused, nudging shoulders with her softly.

* * *

That's a wrap on chapter one! As always, favorite if you enjoyed my writing and even better, please leave a review below! Feedback is love, after all.


	2. Chapter 2

**T** he paramedics arriving was a complete frenzy. They were rushing through the doors, doctors then rushing to the patients and... blood; a surplus of blood. At first, the events seemed to flow in slow motion for her, like it wasn't even real; as if it wasn't actually happening. The feeling left almost as quickly as it had come, following April's lead to a gurney that held a twenty-one year old woman, just like herself. Non-displaced left leg fracture, sprained right wrist and whiplash; all to be expected with a car accident.

A man with dark hair sped towards them, his scrubs indicating that he was a doctor. Taking a quick once over to survey the damage, they were on the move, Maggie directing them to treatment one. The woman was moaning in overt agony, even more so the second he applied any pressure to her leg.

"I need to set this leg sooner rather than later. Get an x-ray and push five milligrams of morphine."

"Hey, what's your name?" Cassie asked, having been successful in administering the pain medication.

"Natasha." She struggled, swallowing hard. Her face relaxed some once the medication started taking effect, gripping her hand.

"Dr. Rhodes is one of our best. You're in good hands." April assured her, poking her head out of the room. "Maggie, we need an x-ray!"

She nodded to her as more patients came flooding in, Maggie shouting for someone named Will. Cassie saw the man from earlier running from one of the trauma rooms to the gurney that Maggie was standing near, the paramedic informing him of the injuries.

"Eighteen year old male, head trauma and laceration on right side."

"Maggie, where are we headed?" He didn't miss a beat, pushing the gurney to trauma two immediately after she gave word, placing the chest-piece of his stethoscope over the boy's heart. His brows furrowed, expression stern.

"His pulse is faint, we need to get in there and stop his bleeding right now. Grab me two units of O negative."

A squeeze to her hand caused her attention to shift, turning her head back to see Natasha looking where she previously had.

"Is- is he going to...you know?" The fear in her expression apparent as she gazed on in horror.

"No." She shook her head, yet Natasha kept staring, almost as if she were in a trance. "He isn't." She stated, more firmly this time.

She hadn't looked fully convinced, but it did draw her eyes from the sight. However, Cassie couldn't say the same for herself. She found her eyes wandering back to that boy and observing the struggle to save his life in the quick glances she took. It didn't seem to be going over all that well, and she briefly pondered that she may have just lied to that frightened girl; he very well might die.

"Can I get some extra hands in here?!" Will yelled, into the abyss it seemed, as every other doctor and nurse were busy.

"Do you have this, April?" She asked quickly, tilting her head in the direction of a more or less frantic Will in trauma two, in desperate need of more help.

"Yeah; go, go!" She ushered. Natasha was stable, but they definitely couldn't say the same about Will's patient.

Ditching her used gloves and sprinting across, she quickly sanitized her hands again, a fresh pair of gloves adorning them after. The sight before her was chaos and she momentarily thought that she never imagined so much happening in such a small space. The boy was pale; eyes closed, breathing shallow, his pulse weak and bleeding heavily with three people doing anything possible to help, but clearly three wasn't even enough. It makes a person feel everything and nothing simultaneously.

"What do you need me to do?" She cut in, standing to the left of him.

"Help me pack this wound, we need to get his bleeding under control before we can assess any other damage."

The laceration was deep, jagged, cutting clear across the right side of his body and bleeding profusely. They were going through gauze like mad, fumbling over one another's hands as they desperately tried to stop the bleeding and just when they had, there was another obstacle thrown their way.

"Dammit," He muttered, glancing at the ECG flatlining. "Push epi and start chest compressions, I have to bag him."

She did as she was instructed after a fellow nurse gave him the epi, beginning CPR. Once he had the bag, they switched positions, him taking over for her.

"Oh my God, Jeremiah!" A woman squealed somewhere to her right, taking a quick look to see a woman in her forties covering her mouth with shaky hands. "What's happening?!"

"Get her out of here!" She demanded quickly, as she was most definitely family.

"Charge to two-hundred." His voice authoritative. "Clear."

Repeating the process again, all hope in the room was fading fast, much like the patient in front of them.

"Come on, don't give up." She whispered to Jeremiah as they tried again and again to revive him. And just when they thought they'd lost him, they got a pulse.

She released a much needed sigh of relief, pushing back the loose hairs that had fallen in her face during the madness. Taking a step outside of the room and taking a look around, she noted that it wasn't nearly as hectic as it had been prior. There was a simple beauty in the harmony of the way they worked at Gaffney. She didn't feel that she couldn't help a doctor that didn't know her, nor that they would ostracize her because she was new. She was qualified and they knew that. That reassurance was something she hadn't exactly had before.

"Hey, you did good-" Will informed, coming up from behind her and giving a quick glance to her I.D., "Casandra." She wrinkled her nose at that, him smiling at the reaction. It wasn't quite what he'd assumed.

"Cassie." She corrected lightly. The only people that called her Casandra were those who didn't know her or her mother when she was displeased.

He nodded, "Cassie." He stated, the corners of his mouth upturning ever so slightly.

It was then that she finally got a look at the name printed on his scrubs. William Halstead, M.D.

"You're the other Halstead?" She blurted, green eyes widening.

"Last time I checked, yeah-" He paused, letting out a slight chuckle. "How do you know my brother?"

"He's my sister's boyfriend."

* * *

Fin for chapter two! This was my first time attempting to write E.R. action, so I hope it turned out well! (And I TOTALLY didn't rewatch episodes of Grey's and Chicago Med to get insight pfffft xD) As always, favorite if you enjoyed my writing and even better, please leave a review below! Feedback is love, after all.


	3. Chapter 3

**S** tepping from the bus as the driver told her to have a good night, Cassie sent the man a smile and a wave, heading toward her apartment building. It was bitter and freezing in the dead of January, the moon shining brightly through the dark along with the stars and streetlights. She'd only just entered her building when she heard the distinctive sound in the otherwise quiet building of her phone ringing, smiling down at the name on the screen once she'd fished it from her bag. Her sister was calling.

"I've been wondering when you were going to call."

"I made sure to wait until you were off work, so give me the details! How was your first day?"

"It was..." She trailed off, unlocking the door to her apartment and settling on the word that kept entering her mind, "Interesting."

"How so?"

"Well, for starters, you neglected to tell me that your boyfriend's brother works there."

The line was quiet as she set her things down, peeling off her jacket one arm at a time while she switched the hand that held the phone, plopping onto the couch.

"Meghan." She began, her scolding tone evident across the line.

"I, uh, I thought I told you?" Her voice raised a few octaves, the statement coming out as more of a question.

"Nope, you really didn't." She deadpanned, kicking her shoes off as she laid back. "You completely sidelined me."

"I swear, I thought I told you."

"Well, your memory isn't as good as mine, so I guess you're forgiven. Besides, I helped save a boy's life today." She informed triumphantly.

"And I solved a case today, so it looks like we're in pretty good shape."

After some very longed for conversation between one another, they exchanged their goodbyes before she headed to the kitchen. She was tired, yes, but her hunger overpowered her droopy eyes. Rummaging through the refrigerator, she'd heard the front door open, greeting her roommate Elana as she found some grapes to munch on for the time being. She wanted to know how her day had gone as well, hitting base with the same things she'd informed her sister of, but one question she threw her way hit her like a freight train, effectively knocking her off of her feet.

"Anybody you work with catch your eye?"

She swallowed hard, shaking her head lightly.

"You know, not really." Answering through a yawn, she turned toward her bedroom, craving nothing more than to feel a hot shower on her skin and to be looking at the backs of her eyelids.

"Oh, please! I can always tell if you're lying, Cassie." She crossed her arms over her chest.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She lulled, sidestepping into the bathroom.

"Fine, fine. Doesn't matter anyway! I'll get it out of you eventually."

"You do that!" She let out a laugh, leaning against the bathroom door for a moment.

The cool wood felt nice against her head, letting out a sigh as she walked toward the mirror. She didn't look as tired as she felt, which she was thankful for, though her hair was quite a mess. Stripping herself of her clothing and stepping into the shower, the water never felt more comforting against her flesh. Steam engulfed her senses, her head falling back, letting the hot droplets of water hit her face and clear her mind. Of course she had just lied to Elana. It wasn't as if she was in denial, she very well knew that Will caught her attention. He didn't wear a wedding ring, but a man that attractive couldn't possibly be single. It would be pointless for her to catch feelings.

Sliding down the wall into a sitting position in the tub, the steady stream landing on her head like raindrops, she rubbed her temples. Why would she want to make anything more difficult by developing a crush?

Yet, her mind wouldn't stop replaying how their hands had brushed while reaching for the gauze and she could punch herself for thinking about it. They were saving someone's life, of course he hadn't noticed or cared, for that matter. He was doing his job. It was stupid. Once she'd convinced her head to stop thinking about that, it then thought about the way in which the corners of his mouth had twitched upward when she'd told him that she preferred her nickname and the fact that she was screwed.

She was totally, completely and royally screwed.

* * *

Chapter three has arrived! As always, favorite if you enjoyed my writing and even better, please leave a review below! Feedback is love, after all.


	4. Chapter 4

**N** aturally, walking into Gaffney the next morning, she had a plan to execute. Lay low and try to not be put on the same patients as Will, but if that isn't possible, then only talk to him when it's about the patient; limit her interactions with him and limit her chances of catching feelings...or at least, catching more feelings. She'd just come from the break room when she noticed April and Sarah huddled around a phone, turning to total mush over a picture of someone's baby. She smiled, pulling her own phone from her pocket to set it to silent as Maggie approached the two, joining in on the cooing before she zoomed into the picture.

"Oh, and would you look at that; he got my eyelashes."

"You delivered him, that doesn't give him your DNA." April retorted.

"You'd be surprised the power of these hands."

Will came over then, telling Maggie to sign out the patient in four as April turned the phone around for him to see the picture. The baby's name was apparently Owen, catching a glimpse of the picture herself and he was just as adorable as they made it sound like he was.

"Cute." He offered quickly, grasping a file.

Maggie asked if he'd been up to see Natalie, to which he responded with a simple "not yet", hurriedly taking the file and walking elsewhere. Cassie's brows drew together, much like everyone else's, as the confusion was mirrored in the expressions of all those who saw the odd exchange.

"What's wrong with him? I thought he wouldn't leave her bedside?" April questioned, giving a slight shrug.

Glancing at each of them for an answer, Maggie's eyes took a turn to land on Cassie. Her brows were raised, clearly hoping she'd have some insight as to why he was acting so strangely, but she simply shrugged herself, immediately turning on her heels to check on Jeremiah. Men were a mystery.

Walking into the room, his vitals were stable, but he was sleeping. She had yet to see his eyes open and have the pleasure to speak with him, which was a little disheartening. As she was checking on various patients though, she'd gathered some information; Natalie was a doctor there who had her baby, which was the one April, Sarah and Maggie had become goo over pictures of. Previously, Will had been there every step of the way since her husband had died, but now he hadn't visited her much. Everyone was stumped as to the sudden change in him concerning her, but placing importance on gossip rather than patients was a no-go.

She leaned against the side portion of the main desk, tightening her ponytail before letting out a tired yawn that lasted longer than she thought it would.

"Someone's tired." Will stated, rounding the corner of the desk to stand beside her.

"Yeah, just a little." She forced a small smile. Truthfully, she'd been tossing and turning the whole night through.

"Better wake up, kid. You have patients to tend to."

"Hmm, well if you don't have faith that I'll be awake enough, you shouldn't let me help you out today." She raised her eyebrows with a laugh. Why she was so comfortable around him was beyond her.

"Then I guess you'll see whether or not if I have faith in you." He winked, nudging her shoulder before he successfully left her standing alone in shock.

She must have stood there for a solid minute, idly staring at the wall as she tried to decide if what had just happened was even real. Her contemplation was smothered, of course, as a couple was brought into the E.R. from another car accident after Maggie had announced it, the girl in far worse shape than the boy. He was frantic, only worrying about her well-being and asking how she was doing repeatedly. Telling Mike that she would keep him updated on Jess calmed him down significantly, allowing for Dr. Choi to examine him more thoroughly for injuries.

Briefly hearing Maggie call for Will, she then heard him call her name, looking back at April and Ethan.

"We've got this under control." He assured.

Receiving the OK, she ran to meet him in treatment one with fresh gloves, squeezing by into the room in time to hear that the patient was the reason for the accident. After witnessing the back and forth between Will and Officer Roman as he informed him of the man's crimes and Will insisting that it didn't matter, the cuffs were taken off, allowing them to now remove the backboard.

As Sarah cut back the gauze on his arm, her eyes widened at the deformed forearm, as well as Cassie's.

"Um, Dr. Halstead?" Cassie spoke, capturing his attention as his eyes found what they were staring at, "His arm..." Sarah finished for her, trailing off.

"Yeah," He began, inspecting the damage, "That's likely a two-bone forearm fracture. Let's get an x-ray."

* * *

The work day was beginning to wind to a close, the sun already trying to hide away from sight. That was the only thing she didn't like about winter; the sun didn't shine nearly long enough. Grabbing some gauze that April requested, she handed it over to her in treatment three, seeing a little girl with lacerations on both of her knees. She wasn't crying though, which she couldn't help but smile at, and the girl smiling back at her just made her smile brighter.

"Thanks for helping out with the guy in treatment one." She heard from behind her, recognizing the sultry vibrato instantly.

"Mhmm." She hummed, turning around to see none other than Will. "So I guess you had faith in me after all?"

"Never doubted you for a second." He was about to walk away, turning back, "Well, maybe for one second."

"You little-" She began, but then he simply smiled at her and it nearly sent her heart into palpitations.

"Hey, Cassie?" Maggie called, "Can you take this up to Nat's room? It's just a basket of stuffed animals and blankets for Owen."

"You're sure she wouldn't want to see someone she knows?" She questioned lightly.

"She heard about the new nurse and she wants to meet you, so go on."

Putting her hands up in mock defense, she took the basket as advised, heading to the maternity ward. It was a different atmosphere as soon as she left the elevator, feeling slightly lost until she saw Natalie's room number. The door was open, but she still knocked, considering that she didn't know her yet.

"You must be the new nurse, right?"

"Yeah..." She trailed off, setting the basket on the table.

"News travels fast around here, especially when you don't have work to keep you even a little busy, sorry."

"No worries." She let out a laugh, introducing herself before taking the few steps to Owen's hospital bassinet. "He's beautiful." She commented, running her thumb over his tiny hand.

"Thank you." She replied graciously, smiling over Cassie's shoulder at her son.

Will popped into the doorway then, and standing there with them talking, she felt like an outsider; as if she wasn't supposed to be hearing their conversation since she wasn't a part of it. She didn't want to feel like she was eavesdropping. Quietly walking toward the door, she was going to leave without saying anything, but thought against it, as it may come across as rude and she definitely didn't want anyone thinking negatively of her.

"I'm gonna go, um-" She offered gently, "It was nice meeting you, Natalie."

"You too." She smiled, looking back over at Will with Owen.

As she was about to leave, seeing how he was looking at her, that was when she saw it. In a way, what she'd originally thought held true; he wasn't single. He may not have had the label of being taken quite yet, but his heart sure as hell did.

His love wasn't for sale.

* * *

And here's chapter four! As always, favorite if you enjoyed my writing and even better, please leave a review below! Feedback is love, after all.


	5. Chapter 5

**O** ne month; one whole month of working at Gaffney had passed by far quicker than she ever expected and her life changed much more than she could have even imagined. With new friends, too many patients treated to count and two bottles of wine consumed, it was one hell of a ride. The sheer amount of time she spent at the hospital allowed her to fall into her place rather quickly and soon after, actually feel like a part of their tight-knit family as she got along well with everybody.

Relating to Sarah the most, as she was the closest to her in age, they had hit it off immediately. Being so close already, she was the only person who knew of her crush on Will and in all honesty, she was the only person she worked with that she trusted to keep the secret just that: a secret. She was incredibly close to confiding in April, half-convinced that she had figured it out already, before thinking otherwise. After all, she was worried that she may take it upon herself to play match maker.

Of course, Natalie had been back in action for the past week or so and while it was nice to have another doctor helping out, she seemed to butt heads with Will quite frequently.

The mood swings between the two was enough to cause her whiplash.

"So, any plans for Valentine's?" Sarah questioned, approaching her in the break room. "It's right around the corner."

Securely pulling the front sections of her hair back in a clip, she faced her with a blank expression.

"Right, this may come as a shock to you," Pining her I.D. to her shirt, she took the steps to the door, Sarah following with her brows drawn. "But I think Valentine's Day is stupid."

"That wouldn't be because you're single?"

Letting out a short laugh, she shook her head.

"No, I've just always thought it was dumb! It's so commercialized, I mean, you should treat your person right every day."

Joey passed in front of the pair then, sending Sarah a smile and Cassie a wave before disappearing around a corner again.

"Yeah, but you have to admit that there's still something nice about getting a Valentine." Sarah sighed, leaning against the main desk, knowing that she would in fact have a date for 'Love Day'.

She patted her shoulder, thinking to herself that her friend was getting herself in deep. Though, she couldn't criticize; all of the feelings she harbored were safely tucked away in that little box carefully labeled DO NOT OPEN, sitting in a bed of turmoil. How in the hell Will had managed to get under her skin so quickly, with such ease, left her successfully puzzled.

Burying the thoughts, she rounded the desk and ended up walking into overhearing Natalie speaking to Will and April, though it was more gossip in her humble opinion. Looking over a patient's file, she quickly picked up that she was talking about a fellow nurse, Bree, and her...extracurricular activities. She knew more about the situation, seeing as she was actually friends with the girl, and it easily began irking her the way that Natalie was gossiping about her; as if she even knew what was happening in her life. Will was barely even paying attention, April listening to her words, but her expression saying that she didn't get why it mattered.

"I really don't understand how she can date a guy like that-"

"They aren't dating, they're having sex." Cassie interjected, deadpan, not even lifting her eyes from the pages she was currently skimming over.

Feeling multiple stares hitting her, she slowly matched the three gazes, her hand pausing on the file.

"Just for your clarification."

She shrugged before April nodded her acknowledgement, leaving the conversation there as Natalie walked off, clearly somewhat embarrassed. She caught herself thinking that it served her right, though she wrote that off speedily, knowing it was rude to think such a thing. The remainder of the work day was slow, nothing of merit conspiring aside from a fair few moronic teenage boys getting into physical fights that are always taken too far in order to get a girl's attention. Classic. Jeremiah also stopped by for his very final checkup, all of his wounds having healed perfectly.

All traces of the sun had gone from the sky at that point, darkness consuming everything in its place as the two boys were discharged with their parents showing some very disappointed facial expressions when taking them home. Cassie and April watched on in a mixture of pity and humor, allowing an actual burst of giggles to escape once the families reached the parking lot.

Sarah joined the two in discussing weekend plans, not specifically Valentine's related, but it still got them on the topic of boys. Cassie mentioned Kelly Severide, causing April to blush and she smiled, offering that she should invite him to hang out. She waved it off, insisting that they weren't anything more than friends before Maggie called her over and she left the conversation swiftly, leaving Cassie and Sarah alone.

She then heard the faint "Oh..." fall from her friend's mouth, following her gaze and in that instant, she wished she hadn't.

Natalie and Will were discussing something, both smiling as she was leaning into him, and Cassie's eyes reflexively dropped to the floor in dismay at the sight. Clearing her throat, she looked at Sarah, who shared her expression.

"Excuse me while I go vomit." She joked, her voice light, and Sarah's laughter caused her to laugh as well before she spun on her heels quickly in the other direction.

She figured that it was maybe childish of her to react in this way that she tended to, but she didn't have the energy or will to care.

At hearing footsteps following close behind her, not trying in the slightest to be sly, her lips curled into a smile before her own steps came to a sudden halt. The person in question dramatically rammed into her back, the chorus of their hushed laughter echoing throughout the halls. An arm was then slung lazily over her shoulders, already knowing exactly who it belonged to, turning her head to be met with Will sporting an idiotic smile on his face.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" She asked gently, lying her own hand on top of his currently draping over her right shoulder.

"You're coming to Molly's tonight."

She had to admit, it was the most interesting invitation she'd ever received.

"And why would I do that?"

"Because I said so, that's why. Besides, I heard Jay and Meghan are planning on stopping by; all of us could hang out."

"I don't know-"

"Oh, come on! Please?"

Looking up at him, she quickly realized that she didn't have the strength to say no to that face; not to those puppy brown eyes or that pouting lower lip.

"Yeah, okay, fine!" She caved, the words sputtering from her lips. "Just... quit begging." Playfully shoving him away with a curt grin.

* * *

"So, he basically just told you that you were coming instead of asking for you to come?" Elana asked, taking a sip of the Heineken in her hand.

Cassie began explaining the events the moment they chose a table at Molly's, her roommate being intrigued the second she told her they were going.

"Exactly." She nodded, tipping her bottle back and taking a sip as well.

"Interesting."

She could tell that Elana knew something was different about her; that she was indeed lying when she said no one had caught her eye but not that the man who invited her out that night was the culprit of the lie. Sitting with her drink, whenever she caught from the side of her vision that the door was opening, she found her gaze would shift on its own and leave her stomach feeling pit empty when it was merely a stranger coming or going, the butterflies dying the instant the person walking through the door wasn't him.

Not being able to stop herself from glancing, her heart inevitably raced, skipping a beat when she noticed that who walked through the door that time was the only person she was hoping to see. Her eyes followed Will's movements across the room as he ordered at the bar, finally tearing her eyes away and looking back at Elana in time to notice her wide grin. Oh no.

She spoke not a word, simply staring into her with the grin never faltering but it occurred to her that she didn't even need to say anything. She could already tell; Elana had figured it out.

"Cassie!" Eyes darting upwards after she slightly jumped, she smiled at the person standing in front of her.

"Meghan!"

Rising to her feet to embrace her older sister in a hug, she recognized from dozens of pictures that Jay was behind her. "And I get to meet the boyfriend of two years."

"Sorry that we could never visit for the holidays-" He started, but she cut him off with a shake of her head.

"No need to apologize. You guys are busy, I get it."

Fading off into conversation, Will joined them soon after and she felt the nervousness overtake her. It wasn't because he was there, but the fact that Elana had clearly figured out she liked him. She swallowed hard, trying her absolute hardest to act as though everything was perfectly fine on all levels. Jay began telling stories from childhood with Will, sparking stories for Meghan and herself to tell, as well as Elana, which helped her forget her apprehension almost completely and when Jay made a certain comment about her "living up to what he'd been told', she became incredibly curious.

"Oh, I'm sure Meghan has told you more about me than I'd care to know." She laughed, taking a swig from the bottle. When he spoke his next words, she swore her heart stopped beating.

"Not just from her, though."

Her heart went from a standstill to a racehorse, fearing it very well may beat straight out of her chest. The anticipation would be the death of her, pulse pounding so hard it filled her ears.

"What do you mean?"

"Will here talks about you too, you know." He spoke, bumping his brother's shoulder. Will's cheeks then matched his hair, flaming, as he looked down while clearing his throat. His embarrassment fell off of him in waves, collecting himself in record time; as if he was never even embarrassed in the first place.

"All good things, don't worry." Winking at her, he went back to the bar, followed by Meghan and Jay and she drew her lower lip between her teeth to keep her smile from becoming too wide.

Elana was smiling at her, her eyes going back and forth between Will's form at the bar and Cassie, raising her eyebrows.

"Shut up." She chuckled, holding her head in her hands.

* * *

And chapter five has made its way! As always, favorite if you enjoyed my writing and even better, please leave a review below! Feedback is love, after all.


	6. Chapter 6

_**A** t hearing the shouting coming from treatment five, her pulse quickened, rushing toward the room to witness Will leading a code blue on a DNR patient. Natalie was fighting his every order meanwhile in the same breath, the nurses were obliging, because what else were they supposed to do? He charged the defibrillator, standing over the woman as Natalie had wide eyes. _

_"Will, stop!" She'd tried, her voice rising._

 _"I said clear." He deadpanned, his tone stern and level._

 _Their stares were challenging one another, but she could tell immediately that only one person would win and it was going to be the person with the fire in his eyes._

 _"You aren't going to stop him, so just get out of the damn way!" Cassie hissed, Natalie staring incredulously at her before hastily stepping aside and exiting the room._

 _The hollowness hit her immediately thereafter, of course, watching on with a dry throat as the realization came to her of the fact that it would almost be worse if he went against the patient's wishes only to not even be successful in resuscitating her. Closing her eyes as she listened to the hectic events around her, there was only one sound she desired to fill her ears and it was the one that followed suit: beeping of the sinus rhythm of Jennifer's heart on the ECG._

 _Cassie could actually see the relief wash over Will then, their eyes connecting as he finally looked up from the patient, giving her a nod of thanks._

Replaying the entire situation in her mind as she began taking the steps to Mrs. Goodwin's office, she concluded that it maybe hadn't been her _best_ moment, but there was nothing she could do to change her actions now. Natalie had surely told the events to Sharon, seeing as Maggie had looked at her with sad eyes when she'd informed her of Mrs. Goodwin wanting to speak with her in her office.

She was right.

As soon as she stepped a foot in that door, her eyes landed on a scowling Natalie standing beside Sharon, arms crossed while looking quite pleased with herself and it took _everything_ she had to not roll her green orbs. Biting the inside of her lower lip to keep herself from saying something she'd eventually regret, she listened calmly to Sharon explaining the severity of the situation that Will had gotten himself into by ignoring the DNR order the patient had set in place.

Then came the questioning she'd been anticipating since Mrs. Baker's heart began beating again.

"And why didn't you try to stop him, Cassie?" Sharon questioned.

"Because there was really no point-"

"As you made clear to me, right?" Natalie cut in, stepping forward ever so slightly.

Taking a breath as she turned to face her directly, she tried her absolute hardest to keep a poker face. She had planned on explaining everything in the best way possible, but took note that the fuming woman standing across from her was going to make it incredibly difficult.

"Yes." Cassie agreed, tone unchanging as she stared into those constant slits that the woman's eyes became since she stepped into the room.

Natalie continued staring through her, it becoming obvious to her that she was in the hope of instilling some sort of intimidation, though she couldn't say it was working. She countered the stare showing no significant emotion as the fact of the matter was that Cassie simply hadn't _done_ anything wrong. If she was expecting an apology, she wouldn't get one.

The subtle squeak of the door opening interrupted the impromptu glare off, all three women turning toward the sound to see Will. He looked toward Natalie and Sharon, expecting as much, but the distinct spark of confusion colored his chocolate eyes when he spotted Cassie. Closing the door securely behind himself, he took his place beside her, Natalie returning to her previous stance with arms crossed to now send her scowl his way.

"I'm going to let you off with a warning because nothing like this will _ever_ happen again, am I correct?" Sharon asked, directing her question to Cassie.

"Yes ma'am."

Exiting the room and leaning against the opposite wall of the door with her focus never leaving that handle, she waited to see it turn with eager eyes. Raising voices could faintly be heard, the actual words being spoken not clear in the slightest and when the door jerked open, her foot slid from supporting herself against the wall, fully prepared to see Will walking out. Yet, to her dismay, it was Natalie thundering away from the room but not before she sent her disappointed eyes in Cassie's direction. A beat passed before he did leave her office, looking defeated with his gaze lifting from the floor when he noticed her form waiting there.

"You okay?" Nudging his arm with her shoulder, she fell into step beside him. "Hey, if it makes you feel any better, I understand that you were just doing what you thought was the best for her. Your heart was in the right place."

"There has been _so_ much more research for cancer and the trial that Zoe got her into for me...it can save her life. I can't fathom why a mother would want to just give up." Pausing, he offered a small, sad smile before letting out a much needed sigh, hands running down his face. "My mother might still be here if she had that opportunity."

"I'm so sorry." Her voice was a whisper, shaking her head.

Clearing his throat as they approached the front desk, he reached behind some files, putting the object he grabbed behind his back before speaking.

"Now might not be the best time and I know you aren't the biggest fan of Valentine's Day, but," Bringing the object forward, she was now face to face with a monkey stuffed animal, the fabric covered arms holding a chocolate bar. "Happy Valentine's Day."

The smile that came over her features couldn't have been concealed even if she wanted it to. Grasping the monkey lightly with a laugh, she looked up in delight to witness the second-hand happiness she'd been able to give him. The first _real_ grin she'd seen from him that day curved the edges of his lips and it was priceless, even if the happiness only lasted but a second.

* * *

Will had to admit that having at least one person understand that his intentions for Jennifer were not of malicious or selfish intent made the entire situation that much more bearable, though Sharon and Natalie being fully against him was making things complicated. He hadn't intended to hurt anyone and in fact, his intention was the complete opposite. He never wanted to upset anyone.

Watching as Jennifer and her family were being taken upstairs, he spotted Natalie, asking if she was still stable.

He only wanted to know how Jennifer Baker was doing, but of course she had to give him the cold shoulder now. He knew she wasn't his patient anymore, as she so _kindly_ reminded him, but that didn't mean he suddenly stopped caring for her well being.

"I _told_ you not to resuscitate her. You're always dismissing me and now even _Cassie_ has joined in-"

Lifting his hand, he cut off her words, gesturing for her to follow him into the break room. He wasn't about to let the conversation escalate in earshot of anyone at the hospital. The dispute was between them and he had every intention of keeping it that way.

"Look, you can be mad at me, that's just fine." He could feel the anger boiling. Why did she always have to drag other people into her lectures? "But don't bring her into this."

"Because you like her?" The question left her lips in a millisecond, sounding as more of a statement than anything, her tone venomous.

With brows furrowing, he tried to understand where she'd formed that assumption and why. "I don't-"

"Please, give us more credit than that."

The laugh that sounded out after her words was soaked in bitterness and the thought occurred to him that he'd never seen her like this before. He decided right there that it wasn't something he wished to see again. Waiting for her to continue, the dumbfounded expression he began wearing was completely genuine and taking to his face without any shred of realization.

"We all know that you have a thing for that _youthful, beautiful, blushing blonde_ that you just _can't_ seem to stop staring at."

Each word she spoke with emphasis had been dripping with malice and he could have sworn that he'd just witnessed jealously flash in those dark eyes.

"You don't know what the _hell_ you're talking about-"

"Oh, I know _exactly_ what I'm talking about, Will."

The conversation was getting sticky and heated, anger falling off of the pair and drenching the atmosphere in ire.

"Ah, I forgot; you're _always_ right, huh?"

She opened her mouth to retaliate, but he stopped her dead in the water with a final statement. "You know damn well that Cassie and I are just friends, Nat, so _stop_."

More or less slamming the door closed once he exited the room and allowing himself to take a calming breath in front of the door, he rubbed the back of his neck before making more rounds of his patients. The only thing he could manage to think was that he couldn't wait to be home. It had been a long day.

* * *

Every muscle in Cassie's body froze the second she recognized the two voices arguing again, staying tight to the other side of the lockers and avoiding making any sound. She was never one to eavesdrop, but it would be completely embarrassing if she showed herself, especially considering that _she_ happened to be the topic of discussion. Her heartbeat ran rampant inside of her chest, sweaty palms attached to shaky hands resting at her sides with a healthy dose of apprehension pumping through her veins.

The conversation was over faster than it began, it seemed, hearing the door slam once, then twice, then hearing nothing.

It left her feeling empty, as though she were the one that had the argument with him; as if he had said to her face they'd never be anything much more than friends.

She knew it was juvenile, but she went from empty to angry to nothing.

Nothing at all.

* * *

Chapter six is finally here! I was having a difficult time with damn writer's block, but I finished! As always, favorite if you enjoyed my writing and even better, please leave a review below! Feedback is love, after all.


	7. Chapter 7

**T** rudging up the stairs to her apartment from a long day of, as Cassie referred to them, "Misdemeanor E.R. Visits", she desired nothing more than to relax. She'd been popping in and out of various rooms every thirty minutes, mostly when certain patients decided to either be a pain to her and/or April out of sheer boredom or when the two little boys who came in were in so much discomfort just to have whatever they had been complaining about miraculously disappear just after their parents chose to not send them to school that day.

Sure, a part of her understood, all of her cared, but most of her? Most of her wanted a steaming bubble bath and to dream that tomorrow wouldn't want to make her sit under the water until she had to come back up to breathe. Of course, the last part wasn't really because of the patients.

The second her key slid into the lock, she couldn't dismiss the fact that is wasn't locked as it usually was when she returned home. Two single women living in Chicago always had the door securely locked. Eyes narrowing and ear being pressed to the door with caution, she took note of the questionable noises she heard permeating through. Taking the key out slowly as to not make any sound, she turned the knob ever so gently before thrusting the door open with vigor, uncertain of what she'd find on the other side.

"Oh!" The word squeaked from her lips without thought, stricken by the rather compromising position she'd managed to find her roommate in. Elana was furiously kissing a man on their couch, rubbing her hips in circles against his own, his hands exploring her body and only removing the connection of their lips if they moved to one another's necks. Elana's head immediately snapped in her direction, rolling from the man's lap with wide eyes to coolly sit beside him, collecting herself.

"I'm sorry, um-" Cassie couldn't control the giggles that bubbled up her throat at her friend's rapid actions. "I didn't meant to interrupt."

"Cassie, this is Mouse. Mouse, Cassie." Clearing her throat, she gestured between the two, Mouse offering a somewhat embarrassed wave.

He was a man with mousy brown hair, which was fitting, and he was slightly shorter than the usual men Elana went for. His eyes were very kind, however, assuming that was the quality that most likely brought him there.

She couldn't be sure whether their pink tinted cheeks were from what she'd witnessed earlier or from becoming flustered at her returning home. Her best guess was a mixture of both.

"Nice to meet you." She smiled, unfrozen and feeling her feet finally move from where she stood by the door. Tossing her keys onto the console table by the entrance, she set her bag down beside the piece of furniture and realized that for that fleeting moment, she'd forgotten that she was even upset before walking through that door.

"Likewise." A genuine smile adorned his features then and it was hard to deny that he was adorable, any shred of nervousness having disappeared.

She heard their goodbye's, Mouse bringing up that the three of them should spend some time together under different circumstances soon, which both girls happily agreed to. Locking up after he left, Cassie turned to face Elana quickly to see a smile upturning the corners of her mouth, easily becoming a laugh.

"I wouldn't have come home and ruined your evening if I knew! You should've texted me; I'd have just killed some time at Molly's." She lightly chided, playfully shoving her shoulder. Using the shove to push her in the direction of the kitchen, Elana made her way to the refrigerator, speaking from behind the now open door.

"It just slipped my mind, honestly." Returning with a beer, she also handed one to Cassie.

"So does this mean you're more serious about this one?"

Pretending to think, Elana leaned against the arm of the couch, twirling a strand of her hair with her free hand.

"I haven't quite decided yet." She lilted, taking a sip from the bottle. "You seem distracted lately, Cas, is something wrong?"

What little light Cassie'd harbored behind her eyes left in an instant, knowing that she needed to talk about it before she slowly faded into oblivion. Elana knew her all too well. She had a gift for knowing when something wasn't right and when the time was to ask.

"No, I just um...I accidentally overheard Natalie and Will fighting in the break room about a week ago."

"Oh," Elana paused, "What were they fighting about? I mean, did you hear clearly enough to-"

"Me." Cassie informed speedily, anticipating the question.

With a furrowed brow, Elana's expression was riddled in confusion. She couldn't be sure what to say to her, opening her mouth to formulate a sentence before closing it, quickly noticing that she didn't really need to speak at all. Cassie plopped herself down in her favorite teal chair in the living area, Elana following suit by sitting across from her on the couch, waiting for her to continue.

"She accused him of having feelings for me, which he shut down immediately, but El," It was her turn to pause, biting her lip, "They were fighting because of me."

Shaking her head, eyes closed, Cassie took to looking toward the ground. The embarrassment flooded her body, cheeks turning scarlet, as if she were hearing him speak the words all over again. She could hear his voice so clearly in her mind, even still, wishing she could just eradicate the immediate memory.

"So, they never even suspected that you were there?" She questioned softly, feeling her friends' distress as if it were her own.

"I'm pretty sure that the pathetic aura surrounding me at that moment masked my presence, thankfully." Meeting her eyes, she sent a small, sad smile her way.

The room was swallowed in silence, quizzical looks from Elana passing over her features before she suddenly bolted from her sitting position on the couch, excitedly bounding around behind the coffee table. Droplets from her bottle landed atop the wooden table, others falling onto the floorboards and Cassie could swear that she felt her heart fall out of her chest from the shock.

"We should go out." Elana blurted, enthused eyes staring at her. "I can help get your mind off of things and you know damn well that I can!"

"I appreciate that, but I have an earlier shift tomorrow." Stunned and blinking repeatedly, the words toppled from her mouth autonomously.

Cassie could practically see the gears turning behind her best friend's blue-green irises, watching on in slight amusement.

"Okay, then after work tomorrow. What do you say?"

Before she could even ponder denying the request or ask if she was sure the art gallery wouldn't be keeping her late the next night, Elana's pleading look made Cassie realize that she was completely exhausted of her ongoing internal pity party. She was done feeling sorry for herself. The reply was quick but pronounced in confidence.

"Definitely."

* * *

Upon entering Gaffney, Cassie was struck by a rogue child, almost spilling the remnants of her coffee on said child if he had been running at all faster. Catching sight of a second brunette blur slightly smaller than the one she'd had the collision with, she knew she had to conjure a plan and a rather brilliant one at that as children were crafty. Seeing Sarah walk in, she was hoping for some reinforcements before she watched her turn swiftly, giving a look of apology that she had been purposely avoiding the young boys.

April left a patient's room to see the boys running a muck, almost being run into herself, Will walking through the main doors shortly after only to whisper a small "Sorry" to them both, slipping past toward the break room.

Maggie was side-tracked, on the phone with someone who she'd knowingly shake down but since she was dealing with that, she had been demoted to simply observing the chaos. Chucking the practically empty cup in the trash, she stood by the desk, lying in wait as she had a silent conversation with April on the other side. The first blur tried to run past Cassie after the other, capturing his jacket in her grasp before he could. The younger one noticed this, preparing to make a mad dash in the opposite direction before April came up behind him, grasping his jacket as well.

A succession of groaning ensued as they wiggled around, being towed back to the room that had a very worried looking mother and a father with a sprained ankle. She had to admit that although it seemed rough to have two children, _especially_ two boys, she knew for a fact that she would like to be them someday...minus the E.R. visit.

Speedily, she ditched her bag in her locker, exiting the break room just in time to see the first real action of the day.

"Incoming!" Maggie shouted, the paramedics wheeling in a visibly pregnant woman on the gurney bearing wounds all consistent with a car accident.

Natalie immediately came to the woman as they raddled off her stats, as it was her specialty, but even Cassie knew what they needed to look for once they were in a trauma room. They informed everyone that a drunk driver had rammed into her at an intersection, so he'd be arriving soon as well. To her surprise, Natalie called for her to assist, and while she was slightly taken off guard, she wouldn't be questioning her motives at that moment in time.

The woman was frantic, as one would expect, only concerning herself with the safety of her unborn child. Cassie's feet moved quickly, side stepping into the room to bring up the ultrasound monitor. As she got the items ready, she learned her name was Harmony and that she was indeed eight months pregnant. Immediately applying the gel to her belly and placing the transducer probe around, she handed it off to Natalie.

Beginning to quickly take care of any superficial cuts, she noted that she didn't have distinct or obvious damage aside from some minor whiplash. At first blush, she seemed to be very lucky. Natalie then handed the probe back to her, Cassie's brows raising as she told her that was having a hard time finding a heartbeat. She moved the probe every which way, her wide eyes making contact with Natalie's.

"I'm not getting a fetal heartbeat either." Speaking lowly and directly to Natalie as to not scare Harmony, they shared the same expression.

"Call the O.R. and tell them she's coming, she needs an emergency C-Section _now_!"

The sheer look of horror upon her face told them exactly what she was thinking without her needing to say a single word.

"We weren't able to find your baby's heartbeat right now. I know that sounds incredibly scary, but he could still be _perfectly_ fine. We just need to know."

Tears began pouring from her eyes at that point, obviously thinking the worst as she grabbed for Cassie's hand while they wheeled her to the elevator. Harmony was gripping onto it so tightly that it had started to become white, though Cassie was quite numb to the pain and didn't notice the discoloration as she held on up until they reached the O.R. wing where she wasn't permitted to pass through the doors.

On the outside, her face was hopeful, just as she was taught to be for the patient's peace of mind. On the inside, she was weeping equally as hard as the woman who may in fact lose her baby. It was unfathomable to her.

As she eagerly awaited the report from Natalie, she could only pray for it to be good news. Cassie was fully aware that she had other patients, but anytime someone would enter the floor, her head subconsciously looked in the direction of the movement. After some time, she noted that everyone was doing the same as her when a door opened; they were all finding it difficult to focus until they were informed of the fate of that child, and that alone was comforting. Just as she was about ready to stop looking when there was movement, Natalie emerged through the door. All heads turned toward her, the room so quiet one could hear a pin drop and she shook her head.

Her throat was on fire, glancing around the E.D. only to see everyone's eyes darting about with sorrow ridden expressions. Every fiber of her being was heightened, using all of the calm she could possibly muster to head toward the empty break room. Her hands had already begun shaking, lower lip wobbling and when that door shut behind her, she broke down.

With a fierce kick to the trashcan as she let out a frustrated groan, it was sent flying across the floor, what little contents it held inside now being scattered about the tiles.

Leaning against the wall, Cassie felt herself begin to slowly slide down it, hands gripping the blonde strands on her head by the roots. She swallowed thickly, trying but ultimately failing to breathe evenly in the solitude. Warm, salty tears already burned her eyes, causing the irises to become an electric shade of green. The moment the first tear escaped, she knew she would have a difficult time stopping them.

She was angry and saddened, frustrated and feeling her heart squeeze with every shaky breath that entered her lungs, sitting with legs pulled taught to her chest and head held in her unsteady hands.

The door creaked open, Connor standing in the doorway with one hand still on the knob and the other occupied by the phone he was looking at. When he looked up and over, he first only saw that the room wasn't empty as he'd expected.

"Sorry, I didn't know anyone was in-" His sentence was cut short once he noted her stance, crumpled to the floor, runny mascara streaks on her cheeks followed by fresh tears she was hastily swiping at with the back of her hand.

"Are you okay?" His words sounded completely stupid as soon as he'd uttered them, mentally scolding himself. Of course she wasn't okay, a blind man would know that.

"I'm fine." The phrase was strained, obviously a lie and one she knew she hadn't sold in the slightest. After all, she couldn't even manage to drag herself from the position she'd been in since she slid down the wall in the first place.

Unsure of what else to do, he knelt in front of her, elbows resting against his thighs. "You can talk to me about it, if you want."

After some brief contemplation, if she thought she had fallen apart earlier while she was alone, she was wrong. Once the sincere offer was on the table, those ocean blue eyes boring into hers and looking completely trusting, she collapsed.

"It's just wrong, I- it isn't _fair_!" Full on sobbing now, she no longer cared about how she appeared in the moment.

"That beautiful, innocent baby boy and his mother didn't deserve _any_ of this. I mean, s- she felt that child for eight months and heard his little heart beating at every ultrasound, read to him; she already loved him," Taking a breath, she continued as she stared at her hands in her lap, fiddling with her fingers , "And because some idiotic bastard thought it would be a _brilliant_ idea to get hammered at seven in the fucking morning before work, she'll never get to see her son grow up. She'll never get to see him go to college, get married, have kids... _become_ something. He just took that from her without a care!"

Feeling a weight immediately lifted from her shoulders with the final word spoken, she was unable to look into his eyes. She cared too much about these things, she got too invested. She's supposed to look at the world through an objectified lens, especially in the line of work she found herself in.

"Better?" He offered gently, lying his hand on her shoulder and giving it a light squeeze.

Sighing, she wiped at the remaining tears. "Sorry you had to hear all of that-"

"Hey, I volunteered, remember?" Raising his hands in defense, he then rose to his feet, extending a hand down toward her with a slight grin forming.

* * *

Can we get a drum roll for chapter seven?! (This has been the longest chapter thus far!) As always, favorite if you enjoyed my writing and even better, please leave a review below! Feedback is love, after all.


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